Final Decisions
by Raggazzed12
Summary: Written for the Probender Circuit Round 2. General Sokka is wants to fight for his nation, with his nation, but he has to convince the Earth King to let him fight. *Different AU bending as you will see* (First time this was published, it was the wrong one)


**A/N: Here is my next story for the Pro-bender's circuit round 2! So excited for this but it's so very difficult…**

 **King - Able to move one square in any direction, he is the one piece that cannot be taken. The game ends when the King is unable to escape from enemy pieces. Task: Write about someone who is considered too important to be placed in danger.**

 **Prompts used: (quote) In life, as in chess, forethought wins. - Charles Buxton, (AU) different element bending**

 **Word Count: (Not including author's notes) 2032**

 **Well, here it goes. Can't even begin to imagine how this one's going to turn out. I'm using a character I didn't even think I'd ever end up writing with as a main character, in fact, I started this story with no idea of whom the character was going to be until the second sentence was finished. And let me tell you, the changes with the AU were not easy but they're incredibly awesome once they are clarified, which is pretty early on, don't worry.**

He stared long and hard at the other man in front of him. Why was this so difficult to get across? He wasn't just going to stand there and let men die in battle. He was going to help, no matter how much these people argued.

"Sir, a letter." Said a guard who had just come running in.

"Thank you." He replied, still staring at the man in front of him, but he quickly opened the letter with no effort at all. After reading its contents-the letter said nothing of much importance, just a report- he looked back up at the scarred man.

"Have you made your decision, yet, Sokka?" Zuko asked, his face grim. In all his years, Sokka had never encountered such a stupid problem like this one, but now when he was faced with it, Zuko was just going to tell him not to bother with it?

"I'm not leaving them all to die. This is a battle I cannot afford to lose." He put his face in his hands before looking back up. "Zuko, you know what I mean."

"Sure. A gang of bandits wants war, and you're just going to go out there and waste your time trying to fight them. These are no ordinary benders we are dealing with. These are Sandbenders, Sokka."

"And? I know what they can do."

"Think about the future, Sokka. In life, as in chess, forethought wins." Zuko moved closer, his eyes staring intently on him. The Earth King was trying his hardest to persuade Sokka in the other direction of what was needed.

"I'm a part of the Fire Nation. I serve my people. I need to fight them." Sokka glared at Zuko. So what if he couldn't bend? He was still loyal to his family.

"And I'm a part of the Earth Kingdom, in fact, I'm the one in charge of it. I know what it's like to try and go after a battle."

"You act as if I'm too fragile to handle this. Like I'm too important."

"That's because you are, General Sokka." Said a man from the shadows, a soldier who had been standing there for quite some time.

The room became silent as he face palmed and didn't look up. What was wrong with him? What was wrong with all these people? Why was the Earth King of all people trying to get him to do something he couldn't do, he wasn't going to, he didn't want to do? Giving up against the Sandbenders meant certain death for all of them, as they had been around for so long with their threats and scheming ways. Always trying to take down Republic City. Always looking for power where others would have to be killed in order to get it. So now when he was needed most, he wasn't allowed to just storm out there and kill every Sandbender he saw. No, not even a general could do his own job anymore.

"If you say so, I suppose I would stay here. But my soldiers are out there." He was tempted to say, "And so is my sister" but he didn't have the heart to do so. She was out there with Aang most likely, as always. The two were pretty much content to each other all of the time.

"I know Katara's out there. But she has Aang, who can protect her plenty. You don't have anyone like that." Zuko sat down in a chair across the small table that was set up between them, his eyes searching Sokka. His pinkish-red scar was visible in the light; a sign that had marked him from early age after an Agni Kai he'd ended up in practically by accident against a Firebender.

"Just because I am the Fire Nation's top General and basically the roots of the court I can't hit a few guys in the head with the flat of a sword?" Sokka stared, astounded.

"Yes, that is exactly what I am saying, Sokka. You must understand." Zuko looked down at the table.

Sokka felt like screaming. He wasn't happy with the way this small meeting was going at all, and Zuko had said it wouldn't be that bad. All he had wanted to talk about was the way they were going to chase the Sandbenders from Republic City but instead, now, he was being forced through talking about staying put. Two words that didn't quite compute in his brain. Staying put.

He thought about what Katara had told him. She was an expert Firebender, brilliant in every way, and he was a warrior, and she had told him that he would get his chance. He would get to fight. That's what she told him. Even Aang had said so. But now he was being held back, and his natural need to always be doing something was catching up with him. He remembered their adventures when they were younger, to stop the hundred year war, and prevent the Earth Kingdom from taking over the world. Now where was he, only years later? Being told he couldn't do anything? Why?

"I am a warrior. I fight when I want. How I want. And if I want." He stared Zuko down, standing up.

"So you're going to try and convince them to let you fight?"

"Yes. If I die, at least it'll be because I was doing what I needed to do. I've lived for a long time, Zuko, I will go into battle, and I will fight with my people. If I die because of some stupid sandstorm, then it's like I said. I went down in battle, doing what I needed to do. What I wanted to do." Sokka walked around the table, gripping the hilt of his sword.

"But Sokka…." Zuko trailed off, still staring at him.

"But what? Are you questioning my authority?" Sokka glared at Zuko, deciding that now, now the guy was getting on his nerves.

"I will do no such thing. All I have to say is: I cannot believe you'd want to leave us. Let the Fire Nation lose their greatest general since, well, I don't even know when, since your father, I suppose? Why would anyone let you do something so foolish?"

"I see how you're thinking now. Foolish? Foolish, huh? I bet you have always thought of me like that. Foolish. Stupid. Completely dependent on others to get the job done, only to comment on it briefly, with no other input."

"I haven't thought that way since I first saw you, Sokka. I do not think of you like that anymore. I haven't thought like that in a long time." Zuko slammed his fist down on the table, "All I'm saying is I can't believe you would risk this. There are people who care about you."

Sokka headed towards the door, but suddenly the floor rose up to meet him, forming a wall between him and the door. He turned back to see Zuko standing there, looking furious. For an Earth King, he was definitely a hothead sometimes. He wanted to get rid of the guy's temper, but if he told him his true intentions were more dangerous, it probably wouldn't help. Bringing an entire group, practically an entire army with him, to invade the Sandbender's home, destroy them, and come back; hopefully. He couldn't tell anyone about this plan yet, but it was what he wanted to do, and what he would've just gone and done if Zuko hadn't decided to stop him.

"Just let me out and let me go!" He yelled, pulling out his sword.

"No." Zuko stormed up to him, staring into his eyes, and Sokka held the gaze. "You will not be planning any "suicide" missions while I, Katara, Aang, Toph, or anyone else, is still around."

"How did you-" He gasped.

"I know what a man can do when he's desperate enough to send himself and an entire army out to war. I've felt that anger before. Believe me, Sokka, I hunted the Avatar for a good few years there. I remember what it was like to say "I might never come back but I must complete this mission". Sometimes I still feel that anger, that point of almost pure hatred."

"So?" Sokka grumbled, still not breaking his gaze from Zuko's eyes.

"So I'm telling you to stop this complaining, and wait a bit before doing anything. People are fighting. It's not your time yet."

"Not my time yet?"

"No. Just like I had to wait. You have to as well until there is a place for you out there in front of your troops." Zuko backed off a little bit, but the wall behind Sokka stayed intact.

Waiting, well, patience period, had taken a while to grow in him, and now that he had at least a little bit of patience, well, he had used it all up in the previous week. That patience was dead now, and he felt half-crazed just standing around doing nothing, as if that wasn't obvious. It was almost as if he could hear the screaming, see the blood, feel the pain, of all the people who were fighting right then. People died from war all the time. If anything, he wanted to be one of those people. It was like no one understood how much fighting for the Fire Nation, for his people, meant to him. Even Zuko of all people didn't seem to be able to understand at all.

"I'm going crazy, Zuko." He put his sword to the older man's chest, the point making a tiny crease in the fabric of his robes.

"I noticed."

"I need to fight."

Zuko answered with stomping his foot and sending Sokka across the room with the rock floor again. Sokka stood up, brushing off his clothing, and stared at Zuko. The guy was seriously annoying him right now. Running at him with a sword, he met the rock chunks thrown at him in the air, cutting through them with his sword. As soon as he had his sword at Zuko's neck, the guy had thrown him across the room again, running another molehill shaped crack through the floor. This time he didn't fall down but ran at Zuko again, holding the sword at neck level. Sadly, a larger chunk was chucked at him and Sokka was hit in the stomach, and fell backwards, lying on the floor there for a bit. Zuko ran up to him, holding out his hand.

Sokka grabbed it and stood up slowly, brushing off his robes again, and stared at Zuko.

"Why would you do that?" He shouted.

"Because it looked like you intended to kill me."

"I'm going. Don't stand in my way, Zuko. I'm doing this for the sake of everyone…for my nation." The words sounded strange in his mouth, and he had to hold back the tears slowly collecting at the base of his eyes.

"Maybe not now, okay? You can't leave just yet."

"You don't want me leave. Do you still think I'm too precious to this nation? There are many others that can be greater than me."

"Well maybe in a way you are. Think about it again, Sokka."

"I have."

"You know how stubborn you are?" Zuko shook his head.

"I've been told." His sister had told him that one too many times. Why did Zuko feel the need to point it out?

"Stay for a while longer. We all need you. There are probably more court cases to deal with as well." Zuko walked back over to the table, Sokka reluctantly followed him.

Suddenly, as if on cue or if Zuko had caused it by saying one word, a guard ran in with another letter. He was waving the hand that held it wildly, his eyes nearly bugging out if his face, and he looked quite exhausted, as if he had been running for a long time.

"G-General Sokka, a m-message from Republic City, sir! We were told it was urgent!" He shoved the letter into Sokka's hands, and for a moment everything was still.

Then Sokka opened the letter and read,

 _General Sokka,_

 _We write to inform you that the villain Yakone has been captured, and we request your attendance immediately to the court. Take in careful measure that this is no normal criminal, he has been accused of being the leader of the Sandbenders, or at least a large piece in their game. He is in custody now, but will be in court the day after today. Be prepared._

 _-The Republic City Court_

He stared at the piece of paper for a few minutes, not realizing that Zuko was reading it over his shoulder, so that when he looked up, he jumped slightly when he saw Zuko's face so close to his own shoulder. The older man stepped backwards, still staring at the note.

"Are you going? This is nearly as dangerous as fighting, you're aware of that, right?"

"I have to, Zuko, I'm in charge of it, remember? I'll see you later I suppose." Sokka stuck his hand out for a hand shake and Zuko reached for it, and as he shook Sokka could practically feel the nervous tension in the guy's body.

Sokka stood up, ready to walk out the door, but stopped and turned around, staring at the Earth King while tapping on the wall of rock that remained in front of the door.

"Oh, right."

The wall went down, and Sokka went out with a hand raised to bid his friend farewell. At least now he could do something. It wasn't fighting, and he would still be viewed as in charge and probably too important to send out fighting, but at least maybe he'd get to do some justice to the world. The Sandbenders were going down, and he wanted to make sure of it.

 **A/N: Aw... this is kinda sad in many respects. (This story turned out to be very long for an entry for this competition but…whatever….) Also it was fun to write them with different bending abilities. I hope you enjoyed! Please, review, review, review! Tell me how you thought of the different bending abilities or something!**


End file.
